Toilet seat



Nov. 29, 1960 J. R. DAVIDSON TOILET SEAT Filed Aug. 6. 19569 Ja/m R. Daw'a'son INVENTOR.

wan. BY fin and W Em United States Patent TOILET SEAT John R. Davidson, 936 Yale, St. Petersburg, Fla., assignor g fifty percent to Bruno F. Haerich, St. Petersburg,

Filed Aug. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 832,030

Claims. (Cl. 4-229) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in toilet seats and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a seat of this character comprising novel means for automatically disinfecting and deodorizing the toilet bowl each time said seat is occupied.

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat of the aforementioned character which embodies unique means for controlling the dispensing of the disinfecting and deodorizing fluid.

Other objects of the invention are'to provide a toilet seat of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in whIch:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a toilet seat embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1, showing an intermediate portion of the seat broken away in section;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the front end portion of the seat, showing said seat in raised position; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the fluid control means.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference character 5 designates generally a seat of suitable material. The seat 5 is hollow, thus providing a chamber 6 for the reception of a suitable disinfecting and deodorizing fluid, as indicated at 7. The rear end of the seat 5 is hingedly secured in the usual manner at 8 for vertical swinging movement on a conventional toilet bowl 9. Mounted in the forward end portion of the seat 5, in the bottom 11 thereof, is a combination vent and filler pipe 12. As shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawing, the filler pipe or neck 12 comprises a closed, rounded lower end portion having a radial opening 13 therein through which the fluid 7 is poured when filling the chamber 6 to the desired level. When the seat 5 is in lowered position the pipe or neck 12 extends above the level of the fluid 7 therein.

At an intermediate point on one side thereof the seat 5 has formed therein a housing which extends upwardly into said seat from the bottom 11 thereof. The bottom of the housing 10 is closed by a removable access plate 14. The plate 14 is apertured, as indicated at 15, for the reception of securing screws 16. Mounted circumferentially in the seat 5 is a metallic tube 17 which is open at both ends. One end portion of the tube 17 passes through the housing 10 and has interposed therein, within said housing, a short, resilient section 18. Mounted in the housing 10 on the access plate 14 thereof is a pinchcock 19 through which the flexible tube section 18 passes and which controls the flow of the fluid 7 into the tube 17.

From the housing 10, the tube 17 passes around through the rear of the seat 5 where it has interposed therein a discharge valve, nipple or dropper 20. The discharge valve 20 extends downwardly through the bottom 11 of the seat 5 above the rear of the bowl 9 for discharging the fluid 7 in drops thereinto by gravity. From the discharge valve 20 the tube 17 extends to the front of the seat 5 and terminates, adjacent the vent and filler pipe or neck 12, in an upturned end portion 21 which is always above the level of the fluid 7.

The pinchcock 19, which is of a suitable resilient metal, is generally U-shaped and comprises upper and lower jaws 22 and 23, respectively, connected by a bight portion 24. An opening 25 is provided in the bight portion 24 of the pinchcock 19 for the passage of the flexible tube section 18. From the opening 25, the flexible tube section 18 passes between the jaws 22 and 23 to be pinched or closed thereby. The lower jaw 23 is secured in any suitablemanner on the plate 14. Fixed on the free end portion of the upper jaw 22 of the pinchcock 19 and extending downwardly therefrom is a plunger 26. The plunger 26 passes slidably through an opening 27 provided therefor in the plate 14 and is provided on its lower end with a head 28 adapted to rest on the rim 29 of the bowl 9.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, to fill the chamber or reservoir 6 with the fluid 7, the seat 5 is swung upwardly to raised position as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. With the seat 5 in raised position it will be noted that the opening 13 is disposed upwardly to receive the fluid. The seat 5 is then returned to lowered position on the bowl 9. The elements 12 and 21 are at all times above the level of the fluid 7 in the chamber or reservoir 6. The pinchcock 19 is normally closed on the flexible tube section 18. Also, the resilient pinchcock 19 is of suflicient strength to yieldingly support the seat 5, when unoccupied, in the forwardly and upwardly inclined position of Figure 2 of the drawing on the top of the bowl 9. When the seat 5 is occupied, said seat is swung downwardly on the bowl 9, overcoming the tension of the pinchcock 19. This, of course, is accomplished through the medium of the plunger 26 resting on the bowl. Thus, this end portion of the tube 17 is opened and the fluid 7 flows thereinto substantially filling said tube. When the seat 5 is vacated said seat is returned to the inclined position of Figure 2 of the drawing in an obvious manner and the pinchcock 19 again closes the flexible tube section 18. The fluid in the pipe 17 then is discharged in drops through the valve or dropper 20 into the bowl 9, the end portion 21 of said tube 17 now functioning as a vent.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A toilet seat to be mounted for vertical swinging movement on a bowl, said seat being hollow for the reception of a disinfecting and deodorizing fluid, a tube, including a flexible portion, mounted in the seat for discharging the fluid therefrom into the bowl, a normally closed, resilient pinchcock on said flexible portion of said tube for controlling the flow of the fluid therethrough, and means engageable with and operable by the bowl for opening the pinchcock when the seat is swung downwardly on said bowl.

2. A toilet seat to be mounted for vertical swinging movement on a bowl, said seat being hollow for the reception of a disinfecting and deodorizing fluid, a tube, including a flexible portion, mounted in the seat for discharging the fluid therefrom into the bowl, a normally closed, resilient pinchcock on said flexible portion of said tube for controlling the flow of the fluid therethrough, and means engageable with and operable by the bowl for opening the pinchcock when the seat is swung downwardly on said bowl, said means including a plunger mounted on the pinchcock and resting on the bowl and, in conjunction with said pinchcock, yieldingly supporting the seat in an inclined position on said bowl.

3. A toilet seat to be mounted for vertical swinging movement on a bowl, said seat being hollow for the reception of a disinfecting and deodorizing fluid, a generally U-shaped, resilient, normally closed pinchcock mounted in the seat and comprising movable and fixed upper and lower jaws and an apertured bight portion connecting said jaws, a tube mounted in the seat for discharging the fluid therefrom into the bowl, said tube including a flexible portion extending through the 'bight portion of the pinchcock and between the jaws thereof to be closed thereby for controlling the flow of the fluid through said tube, and a plunger on the upper jaw engageable with the bowl for yieldingly supporting the seat in an inclined position thereon in conjunction with the pinchcock and for opening said pinchcock when said seat is swung downwardly on the bowl.

4. A toilet seat to be mounted for vertical swinging movement on a bowl, said seat being hollow for the reception of a disinfecting and deodorizing fluid, a housing mounted in said seat, a tube in the seat communicating therewith for receiving and discharging the fluid therefrom into the bowl, said tube including a flexible portion in the housing, a normally closed, resilient pinchcock in the housing on said flexible portion of the tube for controlling the flow of the fluid therethrough, and means operatively connecting the pinchcock to the bowl for yieldingly supporting the seat in an inclined position on said bowl and for opening said pinchcock when the seat is swung downwardly on the bowl.

5. A toilet seat to be hingedly secured at its rear end on a bowl for vertical swinging movement, said seat being hollow for the reception of a liquid, a tube in the seat having open ends, one of said ends being in an intermediate portion of the seat for the reception of the liquid, the other of said ends being in the upper, front portion of the seat, a valve on an intermediate portion of the tube for discharging the liquid into the bowl, and means for controlling the flow of the liquid in the tube from said one end thereof, said tube including a flexible portion, said means comprising a normally closed, resilient pinchcock on said flexible portion of the tube, and a plunger mounted on said pinchcock and resting on the bowl and, in conjunction with said pinchcock, yieldingly supporting the seat in an inclined position and operatively connecting the pinchcock thereto for opening thereby when the seat is swung downwardly thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,049,559 Block Ian. 7, 1913 1,510,111 Schwesig Sept. 30, 1924 2,033,663 Witte Mar. 10, 1936 r 4 hi -h. 

